Our Soldiers Cemetery

The following is an account of the institution of the custom of strewing flowers on the graves at "Our Soldiers' Cemetery." The date of writing is June 20th, 1920. Author Unknown

“There was a Confederate Hospital in the village in 1861 and 1862. The dead were buried in an open space near town. This place had been neglected and gotten into a very bad condition. Several young men took the matter in hand and enclosed the ground with a fence. The ladies of the town and vicinity, under the direction of Mrs. M.V. Kendrick, Misses Mary Bird, Rebecca and Margaret Pennybacker, Cora Kendrick, and others, organized a memorial Assocation. They interested the entire community in a plan to dedicate this little cemetery, containing about 400 graves and to place a wreath of flowers on each of the graves.

New Market and Edinburgh, nearby towns, cooperated with us. the ceremonies consisted of an address in the church by Major J.K. Douglas (an aid of General Stonewall Jackson) and an oration by Wm. M. Silbert now of New Market.

We organized a procession at the Church, and marched to the cemetery 3/4 of a mile north of the town. The procession consisted of ladies, gentlemen and children, as well as many ex-confederates, all carrying wreaths that had been presented the day before. The line reached nearly the entire distance from twon to the cemetery- 3/4 of a mile.

On reaching the cemetery, the grounds were dedicated by the Rev. Snyder of the Lutheran Church. Every grave in the cemetery was decorated with flowers by the ladies and children.

I have been informed that the cemetery has been taken care of and that a pretty granite monument has been erected. I sat beside the major who was in command of the U.S. troops (then encamped on Rude's Hill, 4 miles south of town) while the addresses were being delivered. He complimented them saying they were beautiful. He said the addresses were submitted to him before they were delivered, as no disloyal speeches could be permitted at that time, and public addresses had to have the approval of the military before they could be delivered. New Market had similar ceremonies on May 15th, 1868, in which we took part.”